Friday, September 11, 2009

Headlines Friday 11th September 2009

Turnbull fires shot in history wars
MALCOLM Turnbull has referenced the central character in George Orwell's epic novel 1984 to describe the prime minister's version of recent events as intellectual larceny.

John Howard responds to Kevin Rudd's attack on his economic contribution

John Howard says an attack on his government's economic credentials by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was churlish and lopsided. The former coalition prime minister said he wasn't surprised his Labor successor had targeted him. "It was a very lopsided, partisan attack," Mr Howard told 2GB's Ben Fordham. "Everyone knows that Mr Rudd inherited an economy stronger than any virtually in the western world."

14-year-old mum 'deprived of childhood'
A 14-year-old girl who gave birth to a baby boy after sleeping with her traditional husband was "deprived of a childhood", a Northern Territory judge has said. - Rudd opposed helping this poor child. - ed.

Rat poison mum guilty of manslaughter
A Sydney woman who killed her children by giving them rat poison has been found guilty of manslaughter.

McGurk 'planned to blackmail Sultan'
A British associate of Michael McGurk says the slain Sydney businessman was planning to blackmail the Sultan of Brunei before he was murdered. - it has to be couched in terms of blackmail, and it can't be that he had anything over ALP property deals, could it? - ed.

McGurk cops want CCTV footage
DETECTIVES investigating Michael McGurk's murder have requested CCTV from NSW Parliament after claims he tried to meet an MP before he was shot.

McGurk children praise 'best dad ever'
The children of murdered Sydney businessman Michael McGurk have paid tribute to their loving dad at his funeral.

Rees Shuffles Titanic Deckchairs

There have been widespread changes to the Rees Government Ministry, with the Premier hoping for "loyalty, discipline and cohesion" after months of speculation of a leadership spill. In demotions expected for some time, Tony Kelly and Ian McDonald have been stripped of their police and energy portfolios respectively, following months of factional fights over the leadership. Michael Daley has been named as the new Police Minister, while Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt will take on the struggling NSW Health system. Transport Minister David Campbell has been given the roads portfolio.

School employee faces 51 sex charges
A former employee at an exclusive Melbourne school accused of sexually abusing 10 students has been committed for trial.

Boys aged 10 and 12 go on crime spree
A 10-year-old boy has been charged with six criminal offences and a 12-year-old faces eight after......

Number one fan drank himself to death
TEAM'S biggest fan dies after suffering cardiac arrest following a day-long drinking session.

Twin sisters in all-girl gang bashing
IDENTICAL twins who took part in pack attack spared jail after confusion over "who did what".

State tries to stop Jessica setting sail
STATE government officers are investigating ways of stopping a 16-year-old's solo world voyage.

43 hospitalised after highway bus smash
Two people are now dead and a busload of school children and their driver have been taken to hospital following a crash in Sydney's south.

Maori don't have warrior gene: research
A controversial claim that New Zealand Maori have a "warrior gene" that makes them violent has been debunked by science.

Tests show world champion runner Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite

WORLD athletics is in crisis with tests showing champion runner Caster Semenya is a hermaphrodite - a person with both female and male sexual characteristics.

Tests show Rudd is opposite of a hermaphrodite

Australian media is in a spin with tests showing Rudd is the opposite of a hermaphrodite - a person with neither male nore female sexual characteristics.

QLD Teen Charged For Abortion Under ALP Rules

A QUEENSLAND woman charged with organising her own home abortion has been committed to stand trial.

Strike whips up carnival fears
SPRING racing under threat as jockeys prepare to take action over rules on the use of whips.

Dog freed after five days in cave
Scooby the dog has been freed after being trapped in a cave for up to five days in the NSW Hunter region.

Drunk driver offers dead fish to cops
A man allegedly offered police a dead fish when they pulled him over for drink driving in Darwin -......
=== Comments ===
Eight years on from 9/11, Rudd learnt exactly zilch
EIGHT years after 9/11, the Rudd Labor Government doesn’t seem to have learnt anything about the nature of terrorism.
- Clarity has evaporated - Its that simple.

What once was a small gap between what a government says and what a government does has now turned into a yawning hole. A mere glance at Rudd’s mode of operation can determine the origin of this ‘credibility gap.’ The guy will make an insanely huge promise and then never mention it again. Remember Rudd’s fibre optic promise? Remember his health promises and his promises that he would be fiscally responsible?

It is a very dangerous game you are playing Kev - Confidence comes from a measure of certainty about the future - By making promises like a coke addled junkie and then reneging you are destroying people’s faith in the future. People are starting to look at their feet and not the horizon - That means less investment, less creativity and less incentive.

As for the corruption claims? Does anyone seriously believe State Labor isn’t filled with looting thugs? How many of them have been kicked for god knows what? A climate of fear has developed in NSW as the shonks and flimflam men have a free backstage pass to loot anything at anytime. Why do you think nothing gets done? Their focus resides elsewhere. One need glance no further than the Gong to see what this syndicate is capable of. At the federal level we had a portent of what was to come during the election - Remember Gillard’s threat to “injure” anyone who crossed Labor?

A message needs to be sent.

Party on

Tim of Chicargo1932Ville
- John Jay replied to DD Ball
To DD Ball -

Interesting that you say - “It is almost as if it is a point of pride ...”

It is no wonder Labor has such a huge propaganda section.

They have to.

The distance between what Labor is and the public perception of Labor is so great only an army of spin men could keep the two separate.

There is so, so much that has to be hidden and kept hidden.

Picture an army of men running around with spray cans of air freshener at a sewerage facility ...

Now think Labor’s spin men.
- Teg replied to DD Ball
DD don’t stop with the spruiking of socialism.
Let us not forget that our children are being force fed left wing dogma concerning same-sex unions, abortion and homosexuality from as early as 5 years old.

Other views are suppressed and even openly discriminated against.
NSW Education Department Discriminates Against The Wonder of Life (Before Birth) Program

The program has been readily and positively received by teachers, parents and, in particular, children.
On 19 September 2008 the Chief Executive Officer of The Choices of Life, began inquiries to have the primary program, entitled “The Wonder of Life (Before Birth)”, to become an approved presentation with the New South Wales Department of Education and Training.
All the necessary application forms were completed and an appointment was made for 18 March 2009 in a State primary school to make the presentation before a classroom of students under the assessing eye of the Department of Education and Training’s Performance for Schools coordinator. The program was given enthusiastic approval and the following description was displayed on the Department of Education and Training Performances for Schools website:
A letter was received confirming the approval and given an approval number as a reference point for teachers and principals in State primary schools. However, the approval was short-lived. On Thursday 11 June, a representative of the Department of Education and Training phoned the Chief Executive Officer informing him that the approval had been rescinded on the basis of a complaint.
On Thursday, 11th June 2009, ‘The Choices of Life Inc.’ was suddenly dropped from the Government’s ‘The Wonder of Life (Before Birth)’ program due to the personal beliefs of its Chief Executive Officer. It was not dropped because of the content of the program.
On Saturday 13 June, an article by Sean Nichols on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald indicated that the newspaper was indeed the source of the complaint and that the Department of Education and Training had responded immediately. It was implied that Mr Coleman’s personal employment record and political associations were the basis for the complaint.
No-one should be discriminated against, treated unfairly or deemed guilty by association.
- fay of perth replied to DD Ball
Hullo DD Ball of Carramar Sydney:

The true purpose of education is not to socially engineer the utopian visions of the government of the day,but, it is to initiate children into an intellectual and moral inheritance. Their very humanity dpends on it. This involves the pursuit of knowledge FOR ITS OWN SAKE.
This is more likely to be developed by teachers who love their subject, and are free to impart something of their knowledge to students ready to listen and learn.
Tragically, all this is now being demolished under the name of “social justice."a term Rudd has done to death!!
===
WORLD CHAMPIONS
Tim Blair
We win:
Australia has the world’s highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, according to a British analysis …

Australia overtook the US – responsible for 19.78 tonnes per head – as the worst per capita emitter.
Take that, American carbon lamers! We’re still only running sixth in the overall per capita emissions championship, however. Got to knock over Trinidad before we’re even a medal chance.
===
WHERE IS ALL THE ROAD KILL?
Tim Blair
The terrible car rally that was going to wreak bloody havoc throughout an Australian hippie zone has ended without incident. Now comes the reckoning:
Tweed Mayor Joan van Lieshout wants answers from anti-rally councillor Katie Milne.

As the dust settles from last weekend’s inaugural Tweed Repco Rally Australia, the Mayor will seek to discipline the rebel Greens councillor who mounted a last-minute legal battle to stop the international event …

The Mayor joins a growing chorus of concerned residents and business owners who are calling for an explanation from Ms Milne and rally protest group No Rally Inc, after their fears of “environmental catastrophe” were not realised.
Green types exaggerate, or just plain make things up, all the time. It’s pathological. People are becoming weary of it:
Letters and SMS comments to the Tweed Daily News show the depth of community anger towards Cr Milne and the protesters, with some calling for her resignation.

“Shame on you Katie Milne for inciting the wilful, senseless damage by your so-called environmentalists, not to mention risk to all road users and the cost to ratepayers,” messaged TH of Uki.

Pebbles from Tyalgum messaged Cr Milne should stop wasting ratepayers’ money.

“Katie. Get on with the job as a councillor instead of wasting our taxpayers’ money gallivanting around the forest disrupting rally cars.”
Everyone needs a hobby. Murwillumbah Chamber of Commerce president Toni Zuschke wants Milne gone, and asks a reasonable question:
“Yes, I think she should resign, or at least apologise for the embarrassment caused to the whole community by their actions – they made us all look foolish,” Ms Zuschke said.

“Where is all the road kill they said would be on the roads?”
Even environmentalist Jim Warburton, a friend of Milne, is dismissive:
“I think their actions have definitely damaged the reputation of the Greens and the environmental movement on the Tweed,” he said.

“I drove around one of the stages out the back of Byrrill Creek after the rally cars went through, and it was like they had never been there.

“With the noise those cars make no self-respecting koala would go anywhere near the track.”
The concept of a “self-respecting koala” is oddly appealing. Meanwhile, formerly shouty rally opponents have gone all quiet:
Cr Milne failed to return phone calls and emails from the Tweed Daily News yesterday. No Rally Inc also failed to respond.
===
WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
Tim Blair
Crikey editor Jonathan Green exposes a massive media conspiracy.
===
ICE SAD
Tim Blair
Glacial grief grips Gaia:
At first glimpse it looks like any other glacier you might find in the freezing Arctic wastes of Norway.

But on closer inspection an eerie face is depicted in the melting ice wall that appears to be crying a river of tears.

The forlorn-looking ‘Mother Nature’ figure appeared to locals during a thaw, with the melting ice and snow falling towards the sea below.
I say we put the poor old ‘berg out of her misery, Death Panel-style. Further views from Daily Mail readers:
‘She’ appears to be choking on a glacier mint – which would explain the tears. They’re not actually tears of grief for a dying planet – just the result of a coughing fit brought on by a sweet going down the wrong way for a bit. Case solved.
– Mr Birchall, Bristol
And:
Is it just me or does it look like Michael Jackson??
– Ben, London
(Via KP and I Hate The Media, who observes: “Yes, this Norwegian glacier has been transmogrified into a weeping Mother Nature. A crying Gaia. The Virgin Mary on the rocks.")
===
INCREASINGLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY
Tim Blair
Azzam Tamimi, August 15, 2006:
I have a feeling that all the Muslims detained in connection with the recent police operation to foil and alleged plot are innocent and will soon be proven so. I also suspect that the entire episode has been deemed, despite its enormous cost, to be of utility to a government that is increasingly out of touch with reality and seriously short of public support and sympathy. I wonder whether this was also intended to smear the image of Islam and the Muslims at the time when the entire world can see that they are the victims of a most unjust world order dominated by the USA and the UK who both support and sponsor Israeli terrorism against Muslims in Palestine and Lebanon and who both oppress the Muslim peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq through direct occupation.
The headline on that article: “I bet you it will turn out to be a hoax.” Well, Harry’s Place is now calling in that bet.
===
IS WILL BEING
Tim Blair
Climate Resistance offers linguistic assistance to its warmenist foes:
The English language is just not equipped with the verb tenses required to report environmental news stories easily. Where’s the tense that would allow environment reporters to write stories about predictions about the future as if they are occurring in the present, for example? …

It would all be so much easier for everyone concerned if we could just linguistically lump the present in with the conditional future from the word go. Something like ‘Climate change is will being responsible for [insert climatological ravage here]‘ should cover it.
===
CAN’T BLAME STEROIDS
Tim Blair
At last, an athletics crisis that doesn’t involve drugs:
World athletics is in crisis over the gender of Caster Semenya after tests revealed the South African world champion has no womb or ovaries.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is ready to disqualify Semenya from future events and advise her to have immediate surgery because her condition carries grave health risks. They have also not ruled out stripping Semenya of her 800m world championships gold medal.
To no great surprise, South Africa’s ANC attempted to play the race card. Wrong game, ANC.
===
ONE OR TWO OF THEM LOOK ALMOST LIKE JOURNALISTS
Tim Blair
Who on earth are these people?

UPDATE. The Age, June 13:
Fairfax Media is set to relaunch one of Australia’s historic newspaper brands, The National Times, as an opinion and editorial website covering the nation’s political and national affairs debates …

Fairfax Digital chief Jack Matthews said the advertising-funded site, which had been months in the planning, would include interactive features such as blogging tools, forums and polls to engage readers in debates.

The new site will go online in August.
(Via reader iBerlin, who comments: “Good to see Jack’s ‘months of planning’ have paid off.")
===
Analyzing Obama's Health Care Speech
By Bill O'Reilly
Trying to regain momentum on the health care issue, the president spoke for more than 45 minutes, way too long, but he's obviously feeling passionate on the issue. The back story is that Mr. Obama was taken by surprise when millions of Americans objected to the high cost of government-run health care, and many of us reject the vision that bureaucrats will make medical decisions that affect our lives. Can't have that.

As far as cost is concerned, Mr. Obama says he won't spend any additional money on health care. Expense will be made up by reducing waste and inefficiency in the health care industry.

Well, I hope he has a magic wand, and I'm not being sarcastic. But if it could have been done, it would have been done, all right? It's not that easy to do what he says he is going to do.

Now the president also stayed completely away from the feds dictating medical decisions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: To my progressive friends, I would remind you that for decades the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage available for those without it. The public option, the public option is only a means to that end. We should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

All right. So the public option, there it goes right out the window. And the government-mandated day-to-day care is not going to happen.

So the president was also very clear about the insurance companies. They are going to be forced to accept Americans who are ill and they can't boot you off the policy if you get sick. That's good. "Talking Points" likes that.

But the president goes further. He wants to order the insurance companies to cover certain procedures like mammograms and colonoscopies. Now we are getting into the nanny state stuff. If the feds have the power to run private health care industries, some of them are going to get out of the business, which is what the liberals want.

However, I like the idea of a national insurance marketplace where companies compete nationwide and offer lower premiums based upon more customers. I like that idea. But I'm not sure how it's going to work without the feds ordering the companies to do stuff.

Are you getting the picture here?

President Obama is correct in trying to downsize medical insurance premiums, and increased competition is the way to do that, not government meddling. There should be, however, federal oversight on health insurance companies. They must play fair or get fined big. But the rules must be crystal clear.

And finally it may be unconstitutional to force Americans to buy health care insurance, although Mr. Obama wants that and compares it to mandatory auto insurance. With auto insurance you have a machine that can do damage. It could be unconstitutional to force you to buy this stuff. But if Obamacare passes, you will be on somebody's policy. That is certain.

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